Passive Income Ideas For Devsecops Engineers [2024]

Updated: November 29th, 2024

Interested in earning passive income as a devsecops engineer in 2024?

We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a devsecops engineer today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.

For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a devsecops engineer.

Here's the full list:

1. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could leverage your expertise to create an AI-based business solution that streamlines various business operations. AI can help automate mundane tasks, analyze data for valuable insights, and predict market trends, allowing companies to be more efficient and cost-effective. Given your background, you already understand the importance of security, efficiency, and scalability, which could make you particularly adept at integrating AI solutions into business environments.

The demand for AI solutions is rapidly increasing as businesses seek competitive advantages through technology. You could tap into this growing market by offering AI services that address high-impact areas like customer service, inventory management, or personalized marketing. Many user-friendly platforms are available, so even if you're not an AI expert, you can still build and provide effective solutions with the right tools and support.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month

How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)

How We Launched A $120K/Month Audiobook Publishing Course

Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.

Read by 21,998 founders

2. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)

Starting an AI writing tool could make a lot of sense for you as a DevSecOps engineer. With your strong technical background, you could create a tool that generates accurate and engaging content automatically. This enterprise leverages your understanding of automation, coding, and security to build a robust and reliable product.

An AI writing tool could serve businesses, bloggers, and students by providing error-free and time-efficient content. Given today's high demand for quality content, your tool could be essential for easing the workload of writers and boosting their productivity. Embarking on this entrepreneurial journey offers the exciting potential to make a meaningful impact in the digital sphere.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)

I Built A Simple AI Writing Tool That Makes $60K/Year

Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.

Read by 6,768 founders

3. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to develop a lead generation tool that automates the process of finding potential clients for businesses. This kind of tool can gather crucial information like email addresses and phone numbers from various sources such as websites and social media, helping companies streamline their marketing efforts.

The high demand for efficient lead generation makes this a promising entrepreneurial opportunity. By building a tool that simplifies data collection and enhances customer targeting, you could help businesses focus more on conversions rather than spending excessive time on finding new leads. This approach could generate a steady stream of passive income, allowing you to supplement your existing salary while offering a valuable service to companies.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Created A $5M/Year LinkedIn Marketing Automation Tool

Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.

Read by 8,923 founders

4. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, starting a WordPress plugin business could be a great way to supplement your income and explore the entrepreneurial world. If you have ever worked with WordPress websites, you know that plugins are essential for their functionality and security. By leveraging your technical knowledge, you could identify common security issues or inefficiencies and develop plugins that offer specific solutions.

You could then sell these plugins on online platforms like CodeCanyon, your blog, or even through a dedicated website. This venture allows you to create a source of passive income, as once the plugins are developed and listed for sale, they could continuously generate revenue with minimal ongoing effort. Your expertise in security and operations could set your plugins apart, making them highly valuable to WordPress users concerned about the integrity and performance of their sites.

How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Coded A Website Plugin Making $600 Per Month

Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.

Read by 18,985 founders

5. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)

One great way to supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer is by starting a mobile app. Given your background in development and security, you could create a secure and functional app targeting anything from productivity to entertainment. Even if you're not well-versed in mobile app development, you could leverage your network to find someone who is, or learn the basics yourself.

By focusing on planning user experience, designing engaging interfaces, and ensuring proper functionality, you could develop an app that attracts a wide user base. The key is to find a unique angle or solve a common problem that hasn't yet been addressed effectively, making your app stand out. With effective marketing, your app could garner significant user downloads and provide a steady stream of passive income.

How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

We Started A $6M/Year Bachelorette Party App

BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.

Read by 11,017 founders

6. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)

Starting a social media automation business could be a practical endeavor for a DevSecOps engineer. By leveraging your technical skills, you could create or integrate automation tools that help businesses and influencers manage their social media accounts more efficiently. This means developing software to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze engagement across various platforms effortlessly.

With the increasing need for consistent and strategic social media engagement, there's a growing demand for automation services. Small businesses and influencers are constantly looking for ways to save time while maximizing their social media presence, which could translate into a steady stream of clients and income for you. Moreover, staying updated on social media trends and building client relationships could diversify your skillset, making this venture both lucrative and fulfilling.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month

How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)

How I Bootstrapped A Social Media Automation Tool To $2MM/Year

MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.

Read by 15,250 founders

7. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could leverage your expertise and passion to create a niche website focused on security practices in software development and operations. By sharing your insights through articles, tutorials, and resources, you could attract a dedicated audience interested in this specialized area. With time and effort, this platform could become a trusted source of knowledge among peers and beginners alike.

To start, you’d select a topic you’re passionate about, like automated security testing or cloud security best practices, and produce compelling content that engages readers. As traffic builds, you could explore monetization options such as affiliate marketing for security tools, ad placements, and even selling your own e-books or online courses. Over time, your niche website could provide a steady stream of passive income, making it a rewarding side project that complements your full-time career.

How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Leveraged My LinkedIn Network To Create A $1.8M/Year Procurement Conference

DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.

Read by 3,620 founders

8. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could leverage your tech skills to develop an email marketing tool that automates email campaigns effectively. Building such software can align with your knowledge of security and operations, ensuring that the tool is secure, reliable, and efficient.

Email marketing remains a powerful way for businesses to connect with customers, and the demand for effective tools in this space continues to grow. By creating and managing an email marketing tool, you’re not only addressing a market need but also tapping into a multi-billion dollar industry's potential. This could offer you a steady stream of passive income as businesses subscribe to use your software to boost their marketing efforts.

How much you can make: $120 — $20,833,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

I Built A SEO Tool That's Completely Free For Users [From Lebanon]

H-supertools founder Hasan developed a set of free SEO and digital marketing tools generating $2k per month in profit using Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, selling ad spaces, and email, plans to launch a membership option, and has attained over 80k registered users and 300k monthly visits in less than two years.

Read by 14,151 founders

9. Make passive income with a cold email service business ($170K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you might find starting a cold email service business a great way to supplement your income. This type of business involves crafting and sending targeted email campaigns to potential clients for other businesses. Your technical skills and strategic mindset could be valuable here, helping you analyze client needs, research target audiences, and use software to track metrics like open rates and conversions.

You could utilize your knowledge of writing compelling, efficient emails to create campaigns that attract and engage potential clients. Starting small with lead generation for businesses, you could gradually scale as you build success stories and expand your clientele. Combining marketing skills with your technical background could make this business both rewarding and sustainable.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $450,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $200 (?)

How long does it take to build: 35 days (?)

How I Launched A $200K/Month Gmail Mail Merge Tool

GMass, an email marketing platform that allows users to send cold emails and email marketing campaigns with Gmail, has attracted over 500,000 user signups, including major tech companies like Uber, LinkedIn, and Google, and now generates over $200K in monthly recurring revenue through a successful content marketing strategy and focused ad spend.

Read by 13,716 founders

10. Make passive income with a podcast ($97.9K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, starting a podcast could be a great way to share your specialized knowledge while earning some extra income on the side. You could discuss topics like continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, automated security testing, and best practices for integrating security into DevOps workflows. This kind of content would be valuable to other engineers looking to enhance their skills.

All you would need to get started is some basic recording equipment, like a microphone and headphones, and an affordable hosting platform to publish your episodes. By promoting your podcast through social media and online communities, you could build an audience over time. With enough listeners, you might attract sponsors or advertisers, turning your passion project into a steady source of passive income.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week

How I Started A Successful Podcast Production Company

A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.

Read by 19,203 founders

11. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)

Starting a dropshipping business could be a great way for a DevSecOps engineer to supplement their income or make extra money. Given your technical background, setting up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce should be straightforward. You could leverage your skills to optimize the store's performance and automate inventory management using simple scripts or API integrations.

With dropshipping, you don't need to worry about holding inventory. Instead, you sell products that are shipped directly from third-party suppliers, like those on AliExpress. This model allows you to focus on choosing a product niche, marketing, and customer service while minimizing upfront costs.

Managing expenses and keeping an eye on profit margins is key to ensuring the business is profitable. By using your problem-solving skills and attention to detail, you could effectively manage these aspects and make the dropshipping venture successful alongside your DevSecOps career.

How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week

How I Started A $100K/Month Business Mentoring Dropshipping Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.

Read by 25,778 founders

12. Print on demand business ($411K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could start a print-on-demand business to supplement your income while leveraging your problem-solving skills and creative side. This business model is ideal because it involves no upfront inventory costs, allowing you to sell custom products like apparel, phone cases, and home goods without the financial risk. Utilizing dropshipping services, each item is only printed when ordered, meaning you won't have to worry about storage or overstock.

You could easily set up an online store on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay to reach a global audience. With your technical background, automating tasks and optimizing the workflow to manage design, production, and shipping processes becomes a straightforward task. This means you can run your business from anywhere, giving you the freedom to balance this side hustle with your main job.

How much you can make: $200 — $3,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Started A $330K/Month Ecommerce Specialized In 3D Printing

Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.

Read by 29,966 founders

13. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could supplement your income by creating and selling online courses based on your expertise. With the rising demand for secure software development practices, many people are eager to learn from industry professionals like you. By identifying a target audience, such as junior developers or cybersecurity enthusiasts, you could create a course that addresses their specific needs and questions.

The e-learning market is rapidly growing and expected to be worth over $645 billion in the next few years. This presents a great opportunity for entrepreneurial-minded DevSecOps engineers to share their knowledge and earn passive income. All you'd need to do is create the course content and choose a platform to sell it, making it a relatively low-effort yet potentially lucrative venture.

How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

I Make $120K/Year With My Print On Demand T-Shirt Side Hustle

A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.

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meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.